Can loading machine



NOV. 12, 1968 w STEENBERG ET AL 3,410,049

CAN LOADING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept.

INVENTORS WILLIAM A. STEENBERG BY DONALD GRAY J MW ATTORNEYS Nov. 12,1968 w, STEENBERG ET Al. 3,410,049

CAN LOADING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept.

INVENTORS WILLIAM A. STEENBERG BY DONALD GRAY ATTORNEYS Nov. 12, 1968 w.A. STEENBERG ET AL 3,410,049

CAN LOADING MACHINE Filed Sept. 3, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet '5 FIG.

FIG. 5

INVENTORS WILLlAM A." STEENBERG BY DON ALD GRAY ATTORNEYS Nov. 12, 1968w. A. STEENBERG ET AL 3,410,049

CAN LOADING MACHINE 4 SheetsSheet 4 Filed Sept.

INVENTORS WILLIAM A. STEENBERG BY DONALD GRAY we M ATTORNEYS UnitedStates Patent 3,410,049 CAN LOADING MACHINE William A. Steenberg andDonald Gray, San Leandro,

Calif., assignors to Western Corrugated, Inc., a corporation ofCalifornia Filed Sept. 3, 1965, Ser. No. 484,903 3 Claims. (Cl. 53-153)ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carton loading machine, the machine havinga plurality of ramps for receiving a supply of cans and having a ramwhich is actuated parallel to the ramps, pushing the cans into an endopening carton. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, a dual actionmachine is provided so that either top opening cartons or end openingcartons can be employed. In the preferred embodiment, two rams areemployed which can be selectively actuated, one of which can be movedagainst the chines of the cans to push them into a top opening cartonand a second ram which moves parallel to the ramps to push against thesides of the cans, pushing the cans into an end opening carton.

This invention relates to a machine for loading cans or similar articlesinto corrugated or similar containers, and more particularly relates toa machine for loading cans into an end-opening container or to a machinewhich is adapted to load both top-opening and end-opening containers.

It has heretofore been the practice to provide corrugated containers forcanned goods which open from the top, employed four flaps for formingthe top closure. Recently, new containers have been devised which have asolid top and which load from the end employing four flaps to form theend closure. However since the end is considerably smaller than the top,that portion of the container which has overlapping elements is smallerand consequently, end-loading containers utilize less cardboard for acontainer of a given size, resulting in a considerable economy. Machineshave long been, known for satisfactorily loading canned goods intotop-opening containers but not for loading end opening containers.Further, despite the economy of the end-opening container, not allcustomers will accept it so it is frequently necessary for a canner toprovide for loading both toploading and end-loading containers.

It is -therefore an object of the present invention to provide a machineof improved design for loading endopening. containers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine which isadapted to load both end-opening and sideopening containers withoutmodification, so that a canner can use the same machine to loadend-opening or top-opening containers depending on the customersdesires.

Other objects will be apparent from the balance of the specificationwhich follows.

, In the drawings froming part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a machine embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective viwe of a corrugated carton which has beenloaded with the machine shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line 55 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 showin the parts in anotherposition.

The machine of the present invention includes many parts in common withconventional top-loading carton filling machines such as that describedin Patent 2,107,- 170. Since such machines are well known to thoseskilled in the art, that portion of the machine of the present inventionis described only briefly. Thus, the machine includes a framework 8mounted on suitable legs 9, the framework supporting a plurality ofsupply ramps 11 which lead to a source of canned goods, not shown. Theframework also supports a plurality of loading ramps 13 provided withstop elements 15, the operation being that canned goods as at 16 rolldown the supply ramps 11 until the loading ramps 13 are filled, wherethe cans are held in place by means of the stop element 15. A motor 17driving belt 19 through a suitable reduction gear assembly 21 actuates acam 23. An operating arm 25' pivoted at 27 and being provided with a camfollower 29 actuates a pusher assembly, designated 31, and having aplurality of ram elements 33, the pusher assembly being mounted on guiderails 35. A spring 37 normally urges the cam follower 29 into contactwith cam 23. Thus the cycle of operation is that the ramps 13 are firstloaded with cans, a carton is held with its open end toward the machine,i.e., away from the observer in FIGURE 1, and the ram mechanism 31 isthen actuated by the action of the cam and spring, causing the rams toengage the chines and push the cans into the carton, loading all of thecans simultaneously into the container. The loading ramps 13 then fillup for a repetition of the operation. The operation thus far describedis well known to those skilled in the art and has therefore only beenbriefly described. Further, in FIGURE 1, the cam follower 29 is notshown in contact with cam 23 but rather, the arm 25 has been locked awayfrom the machine, as would be done when the machine is used for fillingend-loading cartons, i.e., the operation which forms the gist of thepresent invention.

In the basic type of machine used for top-loading cartons the ramps 13and stops 15 can be rigidly affixed to the frame of the machine. Inaccordance with the present invention, the ramps 13 are mounted bypivots 38 and 39 on the front fixed support members 41 and read verticalslide members 43, respectively. Removable side guides 14 may be providedon ramps 13. The stop elements 15 are mounted on the front verticalslide members 42.

A pushser element generally designated 45 mounted on rollers 47 and 49operating on rails 51 and 53 is provided with inwardly extending arms55. The arms 55 are adapted to reciprocate above the ramps 13, i.e.,between the two positions shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 of the drawings. Adouble-acting pneumatic cylinder 57 having a piston rod 59 attached tothe pusher element 45 serves to actuate the pusher mechanism. Air issupplied to the cylinder through a solenoid valve 61 having an inletport 63 leading to a source of compressed air, not shown.

For the actuation of the slides 42 and 43, an auxiliary cam 65 ismounted on the gear reduction mechanism 21. A cam follower 67 isattached to rod 69 and rod 69 is attached to a bell crank 71 whichpivots on shaft 73. The bell crank actuates the slide 43 while thelinkage 75 operating off of shaft 73 and pivoted at 76 actuates theslide 42 through link 78.

In order to actuate the pneumatic cylinder 57, a raised member 77 on cam23 operates a microswitch 79 which is attached by suitable wiring 81 tothe solenoid valve 61, and to a power source, not illustrated.

Projecting at the end of the loading machine is a hood 83 having anopening 85 of substantially the same size as the end opening of a box tobe loaded. Mounted within the hood and extending therefrom are flapmembers 87 and 89 which support the upper two rows of cans and whichprevent the cans from jamming as they are being loaded into containers.Also mounted within the hood are a series of spring elements 91, thefunction of which is to press inwardly, retaining cans in positionopposite the spring elements. Mounted adjacent to the hood is a table 93for supporting a case to be filled while deflector elements 95 locatedat the sides, top and bottom of the hood serve to keep the flaps of acontainer being filled out of the way and to prevent the flaps frominterfering with the filling process.

The operation of the device in filling an end-opening carton will now bedescribed. In starting the operation, it is assumed that there is onerow, i.e., six cans within the hood 83 which are retained in position bythe spring elements 91. Cans will now roll down the supply ramps 11until the loading ramps 13 are filled as is shown FIGURES 1 and 6. Itwill be noted that in this position, the pusher elements 55 are down,out of the way, permitting cans to pass thereover so that in etfect, thepusher elements 55 form a connecting link between the ramps 11 and 13.Also, the elements 15 have restrained the first rows of cans so thatonly the desired number of cans have filled the loading ramps 13. Anoperator has placed a box, as is shown in phantom at 96, so that itsopen end coincides with the opening 85. As the first stage of theoperation, as is best seen in FIGURE 7, the movable support 43 for theloading ramps is lowered so that the ends of the ramps, as at 13A inFIGURE 7, form an effective barrier for the remainder of cans 16 on thesupply ramps 11. Thus, additional cans are prevented from rolling ontothe loading ramps and interfering with the operation. Simultaneouslywith the lowering of the elements 43, which results in the supply ofcans being cut oif, element 42 is simultaneously lowered so that theelements 15, instead of holding back the cans as is shown in FIGURE 6,now form a continuation of the ramps 13 bridging the gap between theramps 13 and the elements 87, 89 and the floor of the hood 83. At thistime, the cam element 77 closes the microswitch 79, resulting in theactuation of the pneumatic cylinder 57 causing the pusher element 45carrying the arms 55 to move to the left to the position shown in FIGURE7. This results in the cans being pushed into the waiting carton 96including the cans which were originally held within the hood 83 and allof the cans held on the ramps 13 except the last row of cans which arenow locked in the hood 83. Further movement of the cam 77 results in theretraction of the pneumatic cylinder 57 so that the arms 55 return totheir former position. shortly thereafter, elements 42 and 43 areraised, blocking the passage of additional cans into the hood andpermitting a new supply of cans to till the ramps 13. Thus, the partsare restored to the position shown in FIGURE 6 so the machine is now inposition for a repetition of the cycle.

In the embodiment of the machine illustrated, the loading ramps arethree in number and each holds eight cans, making a total of 24 held onthe loading ramps. Obviously, this is for purposes of illustration only,and the device could be built to accommodate different sizes and numbersof cans. Also, although cans have been referred to in the specification,this is also for illustration purposes only, since the device could beused for the loading of other commodities in paperboard or similarContainers, such as salt or cereals,

The slide element 45 has been shown as being pneumatically actuatedwhile elements 42 and 43 have been shown as being mechanically actuatedfrom the cam. Here again, this is only for purposes of illustration, andall the elements could be pneumatically, hydraulically, or mechanicallyactuated, or any combination of these.

We claim:

1. A machine for loading cans into cartons, comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of ramps for receiving cans;

(b) means for filling said loading ramps with cans in side by siderelationship;

(c) a first ram and means to move said first ram sideways across saidramps against the chines of the cans, pushing said cans off of saidramps and into a top-opening carton; and

(d) a second ram and means to move said second ram parallel to saidramps against the sides of the cans, pushing said cans off of said rampsand into an end-opening carton.

2. A loading machine for loading a plurality of cans or the like into anend-opening carton, comprising in combination 2 (a) a pluarality oframps for receiving cans;

(b) loading means for loading cans on said ramps;

(c) locking means normally preventing said cans from passing beyond saidramps;

(d) blocking means extending above said ramps, said blocking means,preventing additional cans from moving onto the loading ramps;

(e) a ram and means to move the ram against said cans pushing said cansoff of said ramps into an end-loading carton; and

(f) interlocking actuating means, said interlocking actuating means (1)moving said locking means out of the path of the cans (2) moving saidblocking means into path of additional cans and (3) moving said ramagainst said'cans.

3. A loading machine for loading a plurality of cans or the like into anend-loading carton, comprising in combination:

(a) a plurality of can supply ramps;

(b) a plurality of can loading ramps, said loading ramps having pivotmounting means;

(c) said loading ramps forming a continuation of said supply ramps whenthe former are in a first position, and said loading ramps being movableto a second position wherein the ends of the said loading ramps blockpassage of cans from said supply ramps to said loading ramps;

(d) a ram and actuating means to move said ram against the sides of canson said loading ramp, pushing said cans into an end-loading carton; and

(e) actuating meansfor operating said loading ramps and said ram insynchronism.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,967,128 10/1934 Hurst 53l53 XR2,924,051 2/1960 More 53-247 XR 3,016,664 1/ 1962 Vadas 53-62 2,462,8883/1949 Neer 53153 XR TRAVIS S. McGEHEE, Primary Examiner.

